AMERICAN WATER WORKS COMPANY, INC. Dec. 16, 2014 Karen Cotton
309.566.4126 karen.cotton@amwater.com
Illinois American Water's Peoria District invests over $1.2 Million to replace 100-Year-Old Water Main
Peoria, Ill. (Dec. 16, 2014) - Illinois American Water's Peoria District is investing approximately $1.2 million to install 2,800 feet of 30-inch water main in Peoria. The first phase of the project is underway this month and includes replacing 1,500 feet of water main originally installed in 1898. The 30-inch water main feeds two booster stations on Grand Boulevard.
According to Christian Volz, Illinois American Water Senior Engineer, the project will help to ensure reliability, especially during extreme temperatures. Volz said, "The cast iron water main is a critical main service line for our system. It has served us well through the years, but we've noticed the joints are starting to fail. With colder temperatures upon us, we didn't want to hold off on this project and take a chance this winter."
While critical, the work is not expected to impact customer water service directly. An indirect impact could occur when the new water main is connected to the system as the work requires a temporary shutdown of a booster station. This work, which is expected to take place the last week of December, could increase the occurrence of water main breaks across the system due to water pressure changes.
According to Roger Goodson, operations superintendent for the Peoria District, resources will be available to work through any breaks. "We don't expect water service to be impacted, but we are doing everything we can to plan for potential service needs. Our engineering team is in communication with the city and our operations team will ensure crews and contractors are available, should there be a need," said Goodson
He added, "Water service requires a complex distribution system, making this investment now will ensure reliable service for future generations. Next year, the second phase of the project will be completed with an installation of about 1,300 feet of 30-inch water main from Harvard Avenue to Grand Boulevard. Customers in this area will receive a communication from Illinois American Water outlining the project.
The U.S. EPA reports that the nation's water utilities will need to make more than $335 billion in infrastructure investments over the next 20 years to ensure public health. These investments include replacing thousands of miles of pipe and upgrades to treatment plants, storage tanks and other assets. Illinois American Water's investment in main replacement in the Peoria District is just another example of continuous investments and improvements being made, helping to meet the demands of today's customers and planning for the future.
Illinois American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor- owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.2 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 14 million people in more than 40 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
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